Photo-electric cell



\ 1,637,293 July 1927' MELCHOR CENTENO v.

PHOTO ELECTRIC CELL Filed Nov. 6, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet l 7 III/IlllliII/111i Z -IIIIII INVENTOR j BY WITNESS: ATTORNEY July 26,1927. 1, 93

MELCHOR CENTENO V.

PHOTO ELECTRIC CELL Filed Nov. 6. 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 MZOZW" @nem VINVENTOR Patented July 26, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

mcnon CENTENO V2, 01 CABACAS, VENEZUELA.

PHOTO-ELECTRIC CELL.

Application filed November 6, 1926. Serial No. 146,794.

This invention relates to a photo-electric cell. Such cells are commonlybased upon the property of a film of selenium varying.

' scientists, which demonstrated that nascent chlorine and hydrogen wereinfluenced b light emissions to a varying degree depen. ing upon itsluminosity, in sunshine producing a violent explosion by the chemicalreaction, and in shadow proceeding more slowly with a less explosivetendency, but in all cases effecting a resultant chemical combinationforming hydrochloric acid with a resultant enormous reduction inmolecular mass. So far as I am aware this principle has had no practicalapplication and my photo-electric cell accomplishes a practical resultof the chemical reaction as an effective photo-electric transformationinto electric energy.

In carrying out the invention I provide a generator of hydrogen andchlorine and store it in a small circulation circuit including means forkeeping it in constant circulation from the supplyend and back through awaste receptacle. In the path I interpose a closed box acid-proof on theinterior, the front of which has means for admitting variable lightdensities and the back of which has a microphone across which runs thecircuit of chlorine and hydrogen.

To accentuate the reaction I interpose in the gaseous circuit in theplane of the projected ight a strip of porous material impregnated withlatinum black, or a film of the same may applied to the microphonediaphragm The microphone includes an electric generator and the lightopening to' the box is preferably provided with a rotative shutter sothat the light through the box is rapidly intermittent. Thus the variouslight impulses admitted to the box create a series of explosions on thediaphragm of the microphone of varying degree in proportion to thestrength of light passing through the shutter, and this is accentuatedby the catalytic effect of the platinum black on the mov- 1ng gas. Theaseous medium being kept in motion provi es fresh moleculescontinuously.

The invention, therefore, consists of a photo-electric cell in aninclosed chamber containing a moving stream of hydrogen and chlorine,means for intermitting light to the chamber, and a microphone in thechamber in the path of the light. It comprises other and more specificfeatures, the novelty of which will be hereinafter fully set forth andwill be definitely indicated in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings illustrating the invention:

Figure 1 is a sectional view of a microphone.

Figure 2 is a face view of a modified microphone.

Figure 3 is a sectional view of a microphone and light interrupter.

Figures 4 and 5 are detail views of a microphone with light opening.

Figures 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10 are details of the combined box and microphoneparts.

Figure 11 represents a complete circuit of the gaseous-medium.

F1gure12 is a sectional detail with the lens in the light opening.

Figure 13 shows one manner of applying the catalytic material.

Figure 14 illustrates a rapid shutter.

Figure 15 is a plan view of Figure 14.

Referring now in particular to the drawings, 1 represents a closed boxwith a li ht opening 2 in its cover. The box is provi ed with a threadedlid 4 with a diaphragm 5, preferably of thin treated-carbon commonlemployed for microphone use, through which are lead pipes 6, 7 to admitgaseous chlorine and hydrogen to the box. Terminals 8, 9 are provided atone end of the diaphra m and the other at a central point. I pre erablyprovide soft rubber washers 9, 10 as in the form shown in Fi re 3 togive a soft elastic seat for the car on disk. The form shown in Figure 3also produces a better microphonic contact by employing a thicker diskof carbon 11 in the cap, which bears against four hard carbon balls 12.In front of the light opening 2 is placed a rotative disk 13 perforatedwith a plurality of circumferential openin s 14 to produce anintermittent beam of light through the lazed or lens opening 2. The box,instea of a plain glazed openin may carry a double convex lens 15 to eect an image field on the microphone diaphragm, and across this focalintersection may lie a perforated porous disk 16 impregnated withplatinum black. This acts as a catalyst, promoting the chemical union ofhydrogen and chlorine and assists the reaction.

The combined camera and microphone are mounted in the circuit of thegaseous medium, as shown in Figure 11, so that the pipe circuit 17including a pump 18, a source of gaseous medium 19 and a bottle 20containing an liquid waste due to the chemical reaction, orm a completecircuit in which the pump maintains a continuous flow of gases. Thecircuit preferably contains control valves 21 and 22 for regulating thefeed. In front of the lens is the rotative perforated disk 13 providedwith a circumferential series of perforations which may be driven, seeFigure 14, by an electric motor 23 derived from a commercial source ofvoltage and belted to the rotative disk 13 by a belt 24. It will thus beseen that I have provided means for causing the combined gases, hydrogenand chlorine, to react chemically under the influence of an intermittentbeam of light. The variable explosive effects due to the intermittentrays produce explosions at the face of the microphone diaphragm, whichvary the contact between the microphonic contacts and alter its electricresistance so that a circuit and battery included therein would give avarying strength of current roportional to the degree of illumination ofrays impinging the path of the gaseous medium, and can be renderedsensible as a sound of varying intensity in accordance with the degreeof illumination; and if such illumination resulted from the shade andshadow of a camera field such as roduced by a lens 15 or other means, itwoul produce a musical rh thm according to the rapidity of the rotativedisk 13 and number of its openings, which would produce pitch in a tone,and the varying degree of illumination would produce quality or timbreso as to give a distinctive musical note. A considerable number ofsimilar photo-electric cells mi ht be employed to produce simultaneous yor in sequence such rhythmic variations of electric current. Oneapplication of such a system might be applied to photographing a scene,parts of the image area being exposed to separate cells eithersimultaneously or in sequence. Another application would be in movingpicture transmission, in which any form of suitable receiver responsiveto the different cells might be used and transmitted to any approvedknown type of receiving mechanism. The several cells might by theirshutter mechanisms have varying pitches or wave lengths which thereceivers might differentiate and recompose.

I would remark that I have referred to my cell as acting in connectionwith a perforated rotative disk as one type of interrupting the light toeffect conversion into electric impulses, but that was merely by way ofexample, as there are many known ways of using varying types of shuttersmany forms of which have been used in the moving picture art and otherforms of converting systems, and I would have it understood that I mayemploy any approved type to utilize my sensitive hoto-electric cell.

I have herein descri ed the best form of mechanism I have hithertodevised to carry out my photo-electric improvements, but I desire thatit be understood that I am not limited to the specific means recited,but that modifications of the apparatus and alternative means may beemployed, without departin from the sco e of my invention.

Having thus descri ed my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

1. A photo-electric cell comprising a closed acid-proof chamber with atransparent opening therein, a microphone in the path of transmittedlight, a current of hyrogen and chlorine passed through the chamber, andmeans for admitting intermittent light rays through the opening.

2. A photo-electric cell comprising a closed acid-proof chamber with atransparent opening therein, a microphone in the path of transmittedlight, a current of hyrogen and chlorine passed through the chamber, andmeans for admitting variable light rays through the opening.

3. A photo-electric cell comprising a closed chamber with a transparentlight opening therein, a microphone in the path 0 the ight rays, amoving stream of h drogen and chlorine adjacent the microp one, 123nd ashutter admitting light to the cham- 4. A photo-electric cell comprisina camera, a microphone therein in the ocus of the camera, a movingstream of hydrogen and chlorine adjacent to the microphone, means foradmitting variable light to the camera, and an electric generator in themicrophone circuit.

5. A photo-electric cell comprising a closed acid-proof chamber with atransparent opening therein, a microphone in the closed acid-proofchamber, means for intropath of the transmitted light, a shutterconducing variable light therein, a microphone trolling admission oflight, a current of hyin the path of the light, a current of hydrol0drogen and chlorine ad acent to the microgen and chlorine through thechamber, and

5 phone, and a catalytic agent adjacent the a pump producin acirculation of the gases.

image to promote chemica reaction. In testimonfi ereof I aflix m siature. 6. A photo-electric cell comprising a LCHOR GEN E O V.

